After a change in regulations, Council Bluffs is trying to help landlords get their properties up to code, KETV reported.

Landlords received a crash course Saturday in keeping their properties up to snuff.

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"We've gone through eight months now of active enforcement on our housing inspection program; and we're providing to the landlords the issues we're seeing primarily, so they have an opportunity to learn and go back to their properties and bring them into compliance," said Steve Carmichael, chief building official.

The free training is the latest step for the city after an ordinance was passed last year, which changed the way the city registers and inspects rental properties.

The move came after more than 20 years of allowing landlords to self-certify their properties.

"We had a lot of deaths in unregistered rentals," Carmichael said.

With the renewed focus on safety, dozens of local landlords filled the community hall to hear from a panel of housing inspectors, along with local fire officials and police.

The two-hour training is the first one city officials have held since the rules changed last August, and there are plans for future meetings.

Gabe Mattingly, who works on rental properties, said the help they've received from the city has made the process much easier.

"Everyone involved in the city hall side has been very understanding, very helpful. You know some things take time, some things cost money, you know, and they've been very, very, good about helping us out," Mattingly said.

Carmichael said the city has registered 8,600 rental units since the ordinance passed.

The next step will be actively seeking out the landlords who still haven't registered their properties.